Dispensing device



May 25, 1954 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 y INVE'TOR ler Jtendez,

L ATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1954 DISPENSING BEVICE Alberto Mendez, LaPaz, Bolivia, assignor to Wilmer Mechlin, Washington, D. C.

Application October 21, 1949, Serial No. 122,788

(Cl. 12S-272) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly todispensers for mixtures or unstable solutions.

The relative instability of numerous mixtures, of which carbonated wateris an example, has made it necessary to mix the ingredients of themixture shortly prior to use or, Where feasible, to store the mixtureunder special conditions.

The problem is particularly acute in the pharmaceutical field in whichnumerous drugs, such as penicillin, are relatively stable in solid formbut deteriorate rapidly in solution, even though stored underrefrigeration or other special conditions. Consequently, it has beennecessary to ship and store such drugs in concentrated form v andprovide means for preparing their solutions shortly prior to use. Tofacilitate such .preparation, resort has been had to furnishing thesolid drug and its liquid solvent in separate sterile containers in thesame package or kit. In such cases, the liquid container is usually aglass cartridge,the neck of which can be broken to enable its contentsto be withdrawn by a hypodermic syringe, the needle then being insertedthrough the rubber cap of the drug container and the liquid dischargedinto the latter. While of some benefit, a Vmajor objection to this modeof packaging has been the possibility of contamination of the liquidduring transfer. According-ly, several types of dispensers have beendevised in which the ingredients of the ultimate solution are stored inseparate compartments Within an outer container until ready for use.

of this latter type have met with varying success, but none hassatisfactorily solved the problem of The devices ensuring againstinadvertent mixing, without unduly complicating the desired mixing priorto use.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improveddispensing device in which the ingredients of a mixture are separately fstored and readily presented for mixing when i desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide the ingredients canreadily be brought together without possibility oi contamination.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will appear hereinafter inthe detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan View of a dispensing device embodying the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the lines 2-2 ofFigure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5, taken on the same section as Figure 2, illustrate,stepwise, a method of obtaining the desired suction mounting of theinner container by attaching it to the closure member of the outercontainer, prior to insertion in the outer container; and` Figure 6 is aview taken along thev same section as Figure 2, after dislodgement ofthe inner container.

The present invention contemplates the use of an outer container and oneor more inner -containers, each adapted to hold one of the ingredientsof a solution or mixture. While applicable to stable mixtures andsolutions, the instant dispensing device is of particular advantage onlywhen applied to solutions or mixtures which are relatively unstable ordeteriorate rapidly in storage. However, within its iield, the device isof wide application, Whether the ultimate relatively unstable mixtureand its ingredients are in solid, liquid or gaseous form.

The invention has as its concept the attachment of an inner containerWithin an outer container by suction obtained by partially evacuatingand decreasing the pressure in the inner container relative to that inthe outer container, the attachment being made to a pliable portion ofthe inner wall of the outer container, such as 1 a rubber plug, tomaintain the suction seal resulting from the pressure differential. Soattached, the inner container is held or xed securely within the outercontainer and, at the same time, effectively separates its ingredientfrom that held by the outer container. With the ingredients so separatedand the inner container protected against breakage by virtue of itsmounting, the ingredients may be shipped or stored without possibilityof inadvertent mixing. Then, when the ultimate mixture is Wanted, it isonly necessary to raise the pressure Within the inner container by theadmission of air or like means in order to break the suction grip andpresent the contained ingredient for ready admixture or interminglingwith the ingredient of the outer container.

` Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like referencecharacters designate like parts, the specific form of thedispensingdevice of the present invention there shown is particularlyadapted for storing the ingredients of relatively unstable hypodermicsolutions, such as the aforementioned penicillin. For such application,there will normally be provided an outer container, receptacle or bottlei, which will usually be made of glass because of the relative inertnessand ready sterilization of that material. The container is preferablyclosed, except for an opening 2 for the admission and removal oi itscontents, which opening, in the case of the glass bottle, will be in anddefined by its restricted neck il.

For closing the opening 2 there is provided a closure member 4 which mayeither cover or enclose the outer end of the opening or projecttherewithin as a plug or stopper 5. The closure member, in either case,is desirably made of rubber or like pliable material and, for hypodermicsolutions, is also sufficiently resilient to enable it to seal theperforation made by a hypodermic needle when the latter is withdrawn. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the closure member both plugs the opening 2and overlaps the outer end of the bottle, the latter enabling it to belocked or clamped in sealing position by a clamping or locking cap orcollar S, which is adapted to overlie and enclose the closure member andlock it in position by engagement with an outstanding peripheral ilangeor lip 'i formed in the end of the bottle.

The outer container l is adapted to seat or receive and contain an innercontainer, capsule or cartridge S. This capsule is also preferably madeof glass and is or such size as to permit its introduction through theopening 2 in the outer container. The capsule has at one end an openmouth il, providing a port of entry into the capsule. Defining the outerend of the mouth S is a shoulder or abutment I for engaging, seating orabutting against the underface of the closure member 4 and, due to thepliability of the latter, thereby closing the mouth of the capsule.

With the above construction, it is possible by l partially exhaustingthe gaseous content of the capsule S, after its mouth has been broughtinto engagement with the closure member d, to cause the capsule toadhere to the member by suction and thereafter to be supported orsuspended in fixed position within the outer container, withoutpossibility of accidental dislodgement or breakage. Thereafter, thecapsule can be released at will from its mounting by breaking thesuction seal, permitting free access of any matter contained therein tothat held in the outer container. One suitable method for both mountingand dislodging the capsule has been illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. As there shown, the capsule, partially lled with the liquidingredient or solvent Il of the ultimate hypodermic solution, is broughtinto engagement with the underside of the closure member fl. A hollowneedle I2, which may be part of a hypodermic syringe i3, is theninserted into the container through the closure member, the capsule, inthe meanwhile, being held in position manually or otherwise. After theneedle has been inserted, the gaseous content of the capsule ispartially evacuated through the needle by raising its plunger, notshown, if a hypodermic syringe is employed for this purpose. With thecapsule firmly held to the closure member by the resultant suction, theclosure member is inserted in the open end 2 of the outer container, the

latter having preferably been partially lled with a corresponding chargeof the solid ingredient Ill of the ultimate solution. After the closuremember has sealed the opening 2, it may be locked in place by theaforementioned clamping cap 5. li the cap employed for this purpose isnot readily pierceable, it is provided with a central opening l5 inregister with the mouth S of the inner capsule. It is, of course,understood that this operation is conducted under sterile conditions toprevent contamination of the solid drug I4 and the liquid carrier il. Inaddition, the capsule is preferably so mounted on the closure memberthat it will be held spaced from the surrounding walls of the outercontainer when in place, this being particularly necessary with glasscontainers, and the interposed pliable closure member then providing aresilient mounting for the capsule, eliminating any possibility ofbreakage.

When the hypodermic solution is to be used, the hypodermic syringe bywhich it is injected affords a readily available means for enabling theingredients to be intermixed. The needle i2 of the syringe, after beingsterilized, is inserted or injected through the closure member fl, theupper face of the latter having previously been rendered sterile bywiping with alcohol or the like. Once the needle is within the mouth ofthe capsule, it is only necessary to inject sur'cient air to counteractthe previous partial evacuation to disrupt the suction seal and dislodgethe inner container. .lit this juncture, the needle is preferablywithdrawn to permit the outer container to be shaken for thoroughlyintermixing or intermingling the ingredients to form the ultimatesolution. With the level or the solution in the outer container thenapproximately at the diagrammatic line l5 of Figure 6, the desireddosage may be withdrawn in the usual manner by the same hypodermicsyringe.

While in the illustrated embodiment, the liquid and solid ingredientsare stored in the inner and outer containers, respectively, eithercontainer is equally adapted to hold the other ingredient. Also, thetypes of ingredients so handleable are not limited to liquids andsolids, but may include gases as Well or any combination of these three,since the disruptible mounting of the inner container is dependentsolely upon the existence of less pressure within the inner containerthan in the outer container. Additionally, while not as readilyemployable with hypodermic solutions as a hypodermic syringe, the one ormore inner containers in other applications of the invention may be aseiectively dislodged by the utilization of any suitable means, such as avalve, for disrupting the suction seal.

From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there hasbeen provided an improved dispensing device which is particularlyadapted for storing the several ingredients of a relatively unstablemixture and, while ensuring separation of the ingredients during storageor shipment, enables the ingredients readily to be brought togetherwithin the single outer container whenever mixing is desired. lt shouldbe understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merelyexemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to beincluded which do not depart either from the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, claim:

l. A dispensing device comprising an outer container, an inner containerhaving an opening, and means on said outer container for closing saidopening, said inner container being detachably secured to said closingmeans by suction.

2. A dispensing device comprising an outer container having an opening,means for closing said opening, and an open-mouthed capsule engaging andhaving its mouth closed by said opening-closingmeans and being securedthereto Within said outer container by reduction of pressure in saidcapsule relative to pressure in said outer container.

3. A dispensing device comprising an outer ccntainer, means for closingan opening in said outer container, and an inner container having anopening closable by said closing means, said inner container beingsecured to said closing means by reduction of pressure therein relativeto the pressure in said outer container.

4. A dispensing device comprising outer and inner containers each havingan opening, and closure means common to said outer and inner containersfor closing said openings, said inner container being secured to saidclosing means by suction.

5. A dispensing device comprising an outer container, an inner containerhaving an opening, and means carried by said outer container for closingsaid opening, said inner container being detachably secured to saidclosing means by suction.

6. A dispensing device comprising outer and inner containers each havingan opening, and resilient means interposed between said inner and 6outer containers for closing said openings, said inner container beingdetachably secured to said resilient means by suction.

7. A dispensing device comprising an outer container having an opening,a closure member, an open-ended capsule detachably sealed by suction tosaid member in opening-closing position, said member being connectableto said container for closing said opening therein and supporting saidcapsule therewithin, and said suction seal being disruptable byneutralization thereof through said closure member for dislodging saidcapsule from saidmember.

8. A dispensing device comprising an outer ccntainer, an inner containerreceivable Within said outer container and having an opening, and meanscarried vby said outer container for closing said opening, the pressureWithin said inner container being lower than the pressure Within saidouter container, and said inner container having its opening closed bysaid closing means and being detachably secured thereto by said pressurediierence.

References Cited in the iile oi` this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 1,583,038 Weil May 4, 1926 2,028,751 Barton Jan. 28,1936 2,048,219 Putter July 21, 1936 2,066,302 Reichel Dec. 29, 19362,495,942 Nosik Jan. 31, 1950

